Stand Out on the Digital Shelf: Why CPG and Beauty Brands Should Invest in PDP Optimization
Getting in
the
Ecommerce
game
If you're anything like us, you've faced a crowded shelf of products and grabbed your phone to research the top-rated toothbrush before heading to the checkout line. Or maybe you've spent hours on your laptop obsessively reading customer reviews of a new shampoo before heading to the store to find out how it smells first.
We've all been there.
Today's consumer behaviors are shifting, and customers are researching, discovering, and purchasing online more than ever. People want brand credibility, a seamless shopping experience, more choices, and product education—all on one page: a product detail page (PDP).
E-commerce has largely been dominated by fashion and beauty brands who rely on visual imagery to sell products online. On the other hand, consumer packaged goods (CPG)—which range from personal care products to groceries—have traditionally relied on in-store experiences and marketing to make sales and reach customers. But if CPG brands want to stay relevant and competitive in a space dominated by major names, plus new direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands built to sell online, they need to establish a next-level e-commerce presence to drive e-commerce growth for CPG brands.
© Shutterstock
Embrace the Bricks-and-Clicks Business Model
Today's shopping experience is a perfect example of why brands, big and small, should lean into the bricks-and-clicks model, where businesses maintain both an in-store and online presence. Today's consumers haven't left brick-and-mortar behind, but they're embracing e-commerce more than ever, making the case for brands to pay closer attention to the omnichannel marketing experience. During the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce grew 35%, a trend that certainly hasn't slowed down: In the first quarter of 2022, more than 20% of consumer spending occurred online.
The percentage of households buying CPG products online increased significantly from 27% in 2019 to 40% in 2020. That same year, more than 22 million consumers bought groceries online for the first time. This growth represents an immense opportunity for CPG brands, and grocery retailers in particular, to lean into e-commerce and level up their online retailer product detail pages to reach a wider customer base, increase conversions, decrease returns, and more.
©Sephora | Copywriting, Design by View Imaging
Standing Out on the Digital Shelf
As these digital-retail moments become more and more about the customer experience, you need a product display page that makes your brand and product sing. And while most PDPs contain many similar elements, there are still ways to differentiate yourself from the competition.
Think of your e-commerce Product Detail Page as the first impression an online shopper has of your brand—it's not just a place to make a purchase. A stellar PDP gives consumers a sense of your brand, shows your attention to detail, and can help prove your authenticity. Make sure that every element of your PDP rises to the occasion!
The three most important aspects of a PDP are:
1) Thorough product descriptions
2) Clear and diverse imagery
3) User-generated content
Lets dig into these a bit more...
Clear and Diverse
Imagery
User-Generated
Content
Thorough Product
Descriptions
Online retail sites work hard to optimize their content for organic search, but they don't always help CPG brands optimize their individual product detail pages. A detailed description of a product helps the consumer get a better sense of your brand, understand how the product works, what it's made of, and more. Including copy content that leverages your brand's voice and tone, plus optimizing your content for branded and unbranded organic search keywords is a must. A PDP on an e-tailer website is virtually free marketing real estate for your brand. You worked hard to get your product in to that retail store, now make sure that retailer's online store is working hard for you.
Quality product images in e-commerce are essential for success and help bring the story of your brand to life. Varied product shots, playful graphics, and lifestyle images can enhance your PDP and give the consumer reason to add your product to their online shopping cart or pick your product up the next time they are in a store and see it.
High-quality images that have been digitally retouched in post-production are a great way to enhance your CPG product shots. Additionally, your product detail page can stand out from the crowd when you use a wide range of photography options to convey the item from different angles, multiple colors, fragrance or flavor options, plus offering a size reference in comparison to something people can quickly understand. Many brands include lifestyle photography shots to show the product being used in everyday situations and help customers envision using it in their lives.
Finally, leveraging user-generated content in e-commerce is an incredible way to help potential customers make a purchase decision they can feel confident about. In fact, campaigns and websites that feature user-generated content have a 29% higher web conversion rate than those that don't! By reading reviews, seeing photos of the product in use, checking out a Q&A section from fellow shoppers, and more, you help ensure your customers have all the information they need before clicking 'Add to Cart.'
©Harry's | Retouching by View Imaging
©Kin Euphorics | Retouching by View Imaging
Partner with Us
Today’s brands have so many ways to reach existing and potential customers, sell products and services, and expand their business. E-commerce offers a particularly exciting opportunity for growth as people continue to rely on the internet for more and more everyday shopping. It all starts with optimizing your product detail pages to ensure your customers’ satisfaction, so they learn more about your product and “add to cart.”
Don’t get left in the digital dust! View Imaging can provide strategies for your brand to enter the e-commerce race—or we can help streamline existing processes and content. Whatever your needs, we are your creative production partner in all things e-commerce optimization, and we can’t wait to get started. Get in touch with us today to boost e-commerce success for CPG businesses.
Header Image ©View Imaging
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